Fragments
by Oh So Cliche
Summary: PRNS - Based on Ars Amatoria's Ranger Romance Theme challenge. Forty themes, one couple. Just fragments of lives - each not necessarily related but still linked by a common thread. ToriBlake.
1. 1: friends

**AN: 40 Ranger Romance Themes, centered obviously on Tori and Blake. Some are AU, some are moments from the universe, some are just crazy ramblings. Most aren't that long, but I enjoy writing them - and they definitely won't be posted in order, at least not often. Will post when I think of it, for now - it's just a relaxing sort of exercise.  
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**1. friends**

They'd been friends at first. Nowhere near as close as her and Shane, or her and Dustin - but Blake liked to tell himself that despite this, they were good friends anyway. He couldn't claim being _best _friends, or knowing everything about her that he'd wanted to know. He couldn't say that it was _him_ who she came to when she had problems, or _him_ whom she talked to about her fears. He couldn't claim that although knowing her favorite color was blue - his too - that her bright morning smile was meant for him.

He wasn't the person who could call her and just say hello, or maintain that they were particularly close. He wasn't the one who held her hand or brought her to the movies or paid for her dinner. He didn't get to kiss her palm or stare at her from across the room, only for her to look up and catch him and just smile. He didn't have the right to call her his, even though his heart and mind had already agreed and spoken as one - _mine_.

And if Blake was being totally honest with himself - which he didn't often like to do - they weren't actually _that _good of friends. He wasn't the one who got to act protective when she did something daring, or even someone who had the right to be worried when she was late for her usual visit to the store. He was none of those things and none of those people and he _knew _- like he _knew _the taste of thunder or the song within lightning - that he may never become one of them.

But goddamnit, he wanted it more than anything else in the entire universe.


	2. 3: secrets

**3. secrets**

It was about ten in the morning when I realized Tori was missing.

Not like, _kidnapped_ missing, just - not around. It was odd to say the least, so I nudged Dustin on one of my many trips from the backroom to the front of the store. "Dude, you've seen Tori today?" Dustin screwed up his face as he scratched his neck uncertainly. I hid a smirk and folded my arms and waited patiently.

"Umm, nah bro. Been here all morning." Well, that was actually helpful - meant I didn't have to ask Kelly or Hunter. If Dustin hadn't seen her and he'd been here, then that cut down half the searching. I asked Kelly for my break, which she gave eagerly. If I took it this early, I'd be around at lunch and everyone else could go grab food. I dug through the pile of rags in the back, attempting to find my jacket. It was only after a few minutes of searching did I realize that Hunter had rather effectively covered mine with his own. I hid his under the rags before I left, whistling to myself cheerfully even as my mind ran through the places Tori could be.

I immediately eliminated Ninja Ops after running into Shane on the corner. He'd been there all morning training and he hadn't seen Tori either. He didn't seem very concerned, like Dustin, but something nagged at the back of my mind and I knew I should probably keep hunting. I walked along the beach for ten minutes before something caught my eye. It was halfway up the cliff face on one end of the beach - a crack about the size of a car - several jagged rocks led up to it, but a normal, sane person wouldn't have chanced the climb. Fortunately, I wasn't very normal. I cast a quick glance around at the empty beach before darting up gracefully, ending up at the mouth of the large crack. My eyes immediately settled on a curled up figure on the floor of the opening.

Tori glanced up me, genuinely startled. "B-Blake? Wha- wh- how did you find me?" I shrugged, tactfully ignoring - for the time being - the tear tracks Tori rapidly rubbed away as she stood.

"Just was looking," I said simply taking a step closer. Tori's hiding, being upset, not meeting my eyes, all of it meant something, I just couldn't put together what - until that thing that had been nagging finally fell into place with a 'click'. Comprehension dawned and I sat down on the floor of the cave thing Tori had found, tugging her down along with me. "How'd the tryout go?" I asked gently, already knowing the answer. Tori had gone out for a surfing audition to grab a sponsor - she'd mentioned it only in passing, very carefully and casually. I'd only remembered once I'd found her.

"Screwed it up," Tori murmured into her arms, which she had wrapped around her knees, drawing them up to her chest. We sat shoulder to shoulder, staring at the blank, rocky wall across from us. I remained silent, knowing she'd want to say more eventually. A moment later, I was right. "Couldn't catch a thing, it got so bad I almost wanted to use my powers, but I didn't want Sensei going crazy…" she trailed off with a humorless laugh. "I thought I was good Blake, but…" she trailed off again and finally I spoke.

"You're not going to believe me," I said, turning so I could watch her profile carefully, "probably not for a few weeks, but I'm going to say this for your benefit alone. You _are_ good Tori." There was a scoff and I smiled. "See? You won't believe me, not for awhile, but I know it. So a tryout got screwed up. It'll feel like the end of the world for a hell of a long time," I said with feeling, knowing exactly where Tori's mindset was right now. "But in the long run, it means nada." We sat in silence for awhile, me just watching the emotions flicker across her face. It was minutes before she spoke again, her tone entirely different and I knew the subject had been dropped - not permanently, but for now.

"How'd you know where to find me?" A confused look crossed her face. "How'd you even know to _look_?" I shrugged, though I knew she wouldn't take that for an answer.

"I just figured something was wrong. I mean, I know you don't show up to Storm Chargers every day, but, I dunno," I shrugged again, "I figured something might be up."

"Is anyone else looking?" Tori asked, looking like she hoped the answer was 'no'. I was glad I could assure her that was the case. She looked at me and smiled - even with the tear tracks and dirt smears on each cheek, I knew I would probably never see a more beautiful sight. "You found me when no one else was even _looking_," she said, almost incredulously and something in me warmed at the words.

"I…I will _always _look for you," I promised seriously, not knowing what I was really promising but knowing it didn't really matter in the end. It was for Tori and I was pretty damn sure the rest of my life would forever revolve around her.

"Even when I keep secrets?" she asked, gesturing with a sad smile at the dark, dank cave-like crack we were sitting in, side by side. I shifted so I could face her - my palms pressed flat against the wall beside her head as I knelt by her feet. I made sure our eyes met and I smiled slightly.

"_Especially_ when you keep secrets." Tori flushed slightly and I smiled wider. "They…they don't just have to be, just…just _your _secrets Tor, they - they can be _ours _if you want." Tori glanced up at me before nodding quickly.

"I'd like that," she said slowly, her eyes searching mine. "I'd like that a lot."


	3. 7: smile

**7. smile ****[double edged blake**

Leanne smiled at Tori, who flushed brighter. Not only had she totally made a fool of herself in front of this good friend of Blake's, she'd made a fool of herself in front of a Thunder Ninja _graduate_, which made Leanne much more experienced and a hell of a lot better fighter than her. Tori felt a swell of gratitude that it was she who was teaching Blake how to use his Thunder Blade, ensuring that the Navy Ranger would be well armed and well kept when using it.

"I think it's kind of cool the way you came after me to help your friend," Tori's flush faded away, but she ducked her head shyly and smiled slightly. Only a few sentences after meeting the other ninja and she already liked her - it made it a lot harder to be jealous of 'some random girl' when the girl wasn't so random and was a well trained ninja. Her gaze rose to settle on Blake, whose smile sent her heartbeat to a screeching halt and sent any thoughts of asking Leanne for a couple pointers far from her mind.

"Yeah," he said slowly, his mouth forming the words as he smiled, his eyes bright. "Me too." Tori's flush came back with a vengeance. Blake had already admitted to liking her - at least, she was pretty sure he had - and then she'd taught him how to surf - a ninja should have more balance than that, but that didn't mean she objected to him hanging all over her as he struggled to stand on the board - so she should be used to the glances she got!

But she definitely wasn't.

His smile undid her in the worst ways possible. She felt sort of helpless, which was never good, and usually just smiled back uselessly, as if there was nothing else she could do in the face of his grin. She was sort of powerless when he beamed at her brightly and it wasn't fair in the slightest. In fact, if something or someone didn't say something or show up soon, she was probably doomed to make a fool of herself and do something like swoon or drool.

There was a bright flash of light. Tori flushed again and turned towards it, settling her body into a familiar fighting stance. She didn't think she'd ever say this again in her life, but - thank _god _for kelzacks.


	4. 2: dare

**2. dare**

They were addicted to dares. Every sparring session watched over by the careful eyes of Sensei and every simulation observed by the equally careful - but often filled with much more mocking - eyes of Cam were full of them. It had been discovered weeks into this tentative thing that they were calling a friendship and the unstable object they were calling their team that neither of them were the type to back down from something once dared.

It started out small, the team participating usually, daring each other to do handstands on Cam's tech table - filled with mysteries none of them could comprehend, or at least he'd like to make them think so - or wake up Sensei by throwing his food pellets at him. The dares soon grew to enormous proportions and fled past the boundaries of Ninja Ops and into the streets of Blue Bay Harbor.

Soon, epic dares were being declared and most of the team backed away anxiously, leaving Tori and Blake to fulfill them. Blake found himself distracted every time Tori settled down for a dare, the look in her eyes catching his attention and holding it hostage. Likewise, Tori felt incredibly unfocused while agreeing to dares set by Blake - watching him plot and his eyes light up mischievously sent the little 'Tori's in her mind swooning even as she found herself agreeing to whatever task he set for her. They _never _turned down a dare - to do so was to break an tacit agreement.

The habit died down after awhile, dares only mentioned occasionally for a reminiscent laugh or fond smile. Things became more serious, lives settled on the line - there seemed little time for fooling around, risking their own well being and wasting time.

When the battle was over, and the dust had settled and so had they - Blake found himself staring down at the petite blonde who had captured his attention long ago and still held it for ransom. He figured that part of the problem was that he wasn't really willing to pay up and focus on things other than her smile and her eyes.

When he told her he was leaving, he saw a shuttered look settle over her eyes and he cursed the fact that he was the reason. He wished for any explanation to come back as often as possible - he had already told his brother that he was forbidden to move, because if he visited him, he could visit Tori. He watched her carefully for any sign of anger or giving up. What he saw was determination.

"I dare you to come back," she whispered moments later, sealing the deal with a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. There was a flash of her usual bright smile before she set off down the stone path to return to celebrating with the others. Blake stared after her with something like amazement before touching the corner of his mouth in awe - a moment later he grinned.

Well. He had never been one to turn down a dare.


	5. 9: yield

**9. yield**

They sparred very often - often enough that they found themselves cornering one another occasionally, even though the fight had hardly begun. Sometimes they'd only wanted a short battle, but other times a long spar was preferred, so the phrase 'do you yield?' had come into play - letting the other take the chance of bowing out or finding a witty repartee to continue the fight with.

And, of course, both being rather competitive, _prizes_ had also come into play. Each picked one thing to be their reward for every spar they won. Blake had debated long and hard before deciding that his prize would be choosing the next movie they would watch together. His girlfriend had waited patiently as he'd gone through his choices and simply laughed when he'd told her - they liked the same movies _anyway_, so it wasn't much of a loss. But she supposed that was partly the point.

It had taken awhile before Tori realized she might have made a mistake in claiming kisses as her prize. Her thought process _then _had been 'likes kissing Blake' + 'enjoys winning' prize of kissing! It had seemed to be a win-win situation, until the first time she'd held a saber at Blake's throat as he lay flat on his back and called, "Do you yield?" Usually the fight continued after a sarcastic or witty comment, but Blake had simply replied with a low, firm,

"_Yes_," and hauled her onto the ground beside him to kiss the sense out of her. She had laughed and let the fight end, but it had happened the next time they sparred, and the next time too. Tori was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, as she _was_ winning, but she wasn't exactly winning fairly, now was she?

"Why do you always yield to me now?" Tori asked, hoping that the whine in her voice had been only in her imagination and not evident in her question to her boyfriend. Blake glanced up from the piece of his bike he was tinkering with. He blinked for a moment, his brain catching up, still light years away from human discussion, still sitting in motocross world. A moment later, he grinned brightly, setting the piece aside and grabbing a clean rag, wiping his hands off on it.

"Because usually by that time in the fight I get a little distracted by the way you look and yielding seems to be striking two birds with one stone - ending the fight so I can kiss you and then, well, getting to kiss you." He said this so matter-a-factly that it took Tori several moments to form a reply.

"B-but don't you want to _win_?" she asked, with some desperation. Blake shrugged and returned to cleaning up.

"Sometimes, yeah, but it's not really that important in the face of anything else." Well, there wasn't very much Tori could say to that, considering she _was_ the anything else, so she just smiled, resigned to a fate of sparring, winning and kissing - which didn't seem like a bad fate at all, actually.

But the next few fights actually went to Blake, Tori not even getting a chance to pin down her boyfriend, the fight carrying on for a long while before Blake always managed to corner her. She usually yielded, both of them often exhausted. A week later, Tori finally found the perfect opening, Blake finding himself with a knee at his throat and a grinning Tori above him.

"Do you yield?" she asked, her eyes bright and her lips quirked in his favorite smile of hers.

Blake grinned - like there was any doubt at this point. "Always."


	6. 29: scars

**29. scars**

It wasn't like the years had left them unscarred and unscathed. They had fought for their lives countless times, fallen to the ground groaning and crying aloud more times than he cared to recall. Their suits only gave off sparks but when spandex and gear all faded away, there were always cuts and bruises to tend to. But that had been years ago - long enough to feel like a lifetime had passed, but not quite. Probably it was just all the things they had missed while being Rangers catching up to them at once.

Now their scars had almost faded, leaving only memories. Some less fun to remember, but some still enough to bring a smile. Every so often, Blake would wake one morning with Tori's lips at his throat, pressing a soft kiss to the faded line there. "Choobo's staff," he'd murmur and she'd smile against his skin before pausing at his shoulder. Blake would struggle against the vestiges of sleep and the cobwebs fogging his memories. "Motodrone," he'd say quietly, once they had cleared. "Before." Before meant Perry - good ole' rocket scientist _safe_ Perry. The lips would continue their journey, pausing for a moment at his elbow, long enough for Blake to smile sheepishly and mutter, "A bush," before moving on.

Tori would always do the same thing when she reached his hands. She'd press a kiss to each tiny scar along his fingers before finally placing a kiss in each palm. He'd smile and try to draw her up into a real kiss but she'd always refuse - not until she was done.

It would continue - a gash across one collarbone, the result of a bad fall from his bike. A thin, long, almost invisible mark that curved across the width of his back all the way to curl around his hip - Tori never failed to trace it with silent fingertips. She knew them, all of his scars, all by heart - but this one was special. She'd name this one herself. "Ratwell," she'd whisper against his skin. "When you were under the spell and protecting me." Blake always tried to end the exercise here, but Tori would ignore him studiously and move to his stomach with a determination and stubbornness that he knew he could never match.

"Hunter," he'd say dryly as she moved on, not managing in the slightest to stay mad at her for ignoring him, "and an incident with a wheelbarrow and a soda can." Tori would always giggle against the short half moon of a scar, and thankfully she never asked.

"Lothor," was a sharp, nasty looking one at the base of his back and "Training with Leanne and Sensei," was the short slice of a scar that nicked his shin.

The last one was his favorite, an almost completely faded scrape - several straight lines right beside one another, across his ankle. "You," he'd crow gleefully as Tori rolled her eyes and laughed. "Making me learn to surf." Tori would wrinkle her nose and smile and say the same thing every time, even as Blake would haul her up to lay beside him.

"If you could call whatever _you_ did _surfing_," she'd say teasingly and Blake would hold her close and finally - _finally!_ - get his kiss.


	7. 8: game

**AN: A long one for you guys. I got a less-than-lukewarm (frigid would probably be a better word actually, hah) response to another fic, so I guess frustration adds to the length. Or something. Enjoy babes. Those of you who have commented are totally fabulous, much thanks to all of you! **

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**8. game ****(AU) (Warning for a couple f-bombs and Hunter taking the lord's name in vain. Bad Hunter.) **

"Um, hey?" The questioning tone was familiar. Tori was used to little kids running up and asking her questions and attempting to catch her notice while she was on the clock, but this voice was significantly older and probably required more attention than her requisite 'mmhmm' would provide. Tori nudged her sunglasses down her nose and glanced down from her lifeguard chair.

"Yeah?" She tried to sound as cheerful and helpful as possible, but with this being the longest shift of the day and the day only being about half over, it was kind of difficult to summon any sort of cheer. Well, the guy wasn't ugly, so there was that - but then again, she wouldn't call Shane or Dustin ugly but they were still plenty obnoxious when the occasion called for it. And 'the occasion' had her number on speed dial.

"Uh, I kind of lost my little brother and I'm afraid if I start hunting for him, I'll get lost too. This place is kinda huge." The guy grinned sheepishly, so this wasn't an emergency, but if she sent Marah or Kapri - the other lifeguards with this same shift - either the guy would end up committing suicide or destroying one of them. Tori smiled back before hopping down from her chair and grabbing her walkie-talkie. "Tor making a four-two-one. Requesting Marah for chair one," she said clearly into the cracked old toaster-sized walkie-talkie. A moment, before it crackled to life again.

"Aw Tor, do I hafta? Like, there's like totally no one in that pool and I-" Tori sighed and rolled her eyes, catching the guy trying not to laugh.

"Marah. Chair one. Now." Tori caught the latter end of a grumble before her 'toaster' went silent once more. "Alright, so your little brother?" When the guy nodded, she smiled brightly at him and started off fo the food court. "He wander off a lot? What's his name?"

The guy smiled a little, keeping up easily with her quick walk, taking long easy strides, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his swimsuit. "Yeah, he gets distracted easily and he'll just go running. And Blake. And I'm Hunter." Tori flashed another smile at him, sticking out a hand as she walked.

"Tori - and what does Blake look like?" Tori's eyes skimmed the crowds for a young boy with, judging by Hunter's appearance, messy blond hair and blue eyes and a fondness for the color red.

"Well, we're adopted, so…nothing like me?" Hunter said laughingly. Tori hid her flush well and quickly axed hair and eyes off her list. "And he's wearing…dark blue, I think? Probably." Tori mentally rolled her eyes and revised her mental list once again. "Dark hair, dark eyes, shortish - but he's my little bro, so he'd never _not_ be short to me I guess," Hunter said with a smirk.

"Same with me and my sister," Tori said with a grin.

Hunter wasn't the most open of conversationalists - to get him to speak Tori generally had to ask a question, but he was pleasant enough and he jumped at the chance to talk about his brother. They were obviously very close and she grew excited to meet the child - also a bit worried that she hadn't seen any children matching Blake's description all day. But something was bugging her even more.

Whenever they visited a place, Hunter would check dutifully, without any real enthusiasm - which Tori found odd. He did _want_ to find his brother, right? Otherwise he wouldn't have sought out a lifeguard and asked for help. He would look, glance at tables before turning to Tori and shrugging, as if to say they should move on. It went on like this for fifteen minutes before she saw Hunter glance at his watch and square his shoulders.

"What about, um, the locker rooms?" he suggested half heartedly. Tori's eyes narrowed in suspicion. She'd suggested the locker rooms a few minutes ago, but Hunter had dismissed the idea for looking through the food court. And _now_ he wanted to look? Something was definitely up, but Tori's job was to do the looking, not the investigating, so she gestured with a flourish - somewhat sarcastically - for Hunter to lead. He smiled sheepishly and started towards the path for the lockers - far more sure of his way than his previous hesitation would have suggested.

"I don't know where else to look after this," Tori began with frustration - mostly at being unable to find little Blake and only _some_ at the suspicious Hunter - as they started down the path. "It's like-"

"Dude!" exclaimed Hunter, with quite a bit of relief. It wasn't a "I-was-worried-about-you" sort of relief though. It seemed more of a "fucking-finally-dude!" relief. Tori's glance lifted to land on a guy right around _her_ age, with dark hair and eyes to match. "Been looking for you bro, what the hell?" _This_ was Blake? Blake was a gorgeous well-toned guy with a killer smile who was grinning right at her? Oh, she was going to _kill_ Hunter, even if she'd already sort of formed a crush on his younger brother - she was sure Blake could live without Hunter for awhile. On instinct, her hand flew out and thwacked Hunter on the shoulder. Hard.

"You jerk, I've been looking for a kid this whole time! You could've said something." Hunter stared at her, rather startled, for which she was glad for, before he grinned without apology. He seemed to feel no remorse for making her feel rather stupid - Tori glowered slightly.

'Sorry," he said, without an ounce of regret. "Must've slipped my mind." _Yeah right._ There was something going on here and Tori was going to find out exactly what - in a moment. After rolling her eyes, she turned to Blake, who was watching the exchange with something like amusement and watching _her_ with something like interest. Tori grew faintly distracted. _Oh. Yay._

"Your brother is a jerk," she informed the dark haired brother dutifully and he laughed, the surprise evident on his face.

"Can't argue with that - fully grown and can't even look for his brother by himself," he said, smirking at Hunter who quickly scowled.

"Is that really the path you want to be going down little brother? Because there are many things I have to say about that topic." Tori raised an eyebrow at this odd threat, but Blake's smirk faded quickly and Hunter smiled and flicked him in the eye - almost with boredom, like he'd done it a hundred times and would probably do it a hundred more - and that seemed to be the end of that.

Not really.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Tori said, rather astutely she thought, although neither of the two brothers seemed to be very good actors, because they both gave her the same _exact_ wide-eyed innocent look. It might've worked had only one attempted to use it, but she simply stared back expectantly at them. "You know, besides the fact that your brother is _not_ seven," Tori said, glancing meaningfully at Hunter, who grinned sheepishly.

"Um…thanks for babysitting my older brother!" Blake said, with some desperation, with the most unsubtle attempt at changing the topic that Tori had ever witnessed in all of her years. Tori gave him a look that clearly said so and he glanced down, his face growing red. Hunter glanced at him, glanced at Tori, before letting out a tired sigh.

"Dude, you're pathetic. I'm telling her," Blake whipped his head up and stared at Hunter as if he had just committed the ultimate betrayal.

"Dude!" he hissed, disgusted with his older brother, lunging at him.

"He likes you!" Hunter said, even as Blake tackled him to the ground. "He saw you like - ow, what the hell Blake, did you just _judo chop_ me? No more ninja movies for you - where was I? Oh - he saw you like three days ago, on a shift and - jesus christ Blake, no teeth!" Hunter's speech was interrupted by him flipping Blake over, who had been dominating the fight at first. Hunter got him quickly in a headlock though and he took this time to collect his thoughts as he held a flailing Blake.

Tori looked on in amusement and vague astonishment.

"Anyway, he saw you and decided he wanted to meet you, but Blake being Blake, was too fucking _shy_-" Blake elbowed Hunter hard in the ribs for that comment, but Hunter didn't let up, just glared. "Yeah I said it dude! You're a wimp! So he concocted this stupid plan to get to meet you and-" Suddenly, Blake shifted and the leg that Hunter wasn't sitting up came up from behind and slammed the elder brother in the head. "Ow, what the fuck was that?!" Blake rolled away, looking rather smug.

"_That_ was a result of the stupid ninja movies, dumbass."

"Oh yeah? I dare you to try that again you little-"

"If you boys are done," Tori said loudly over the bickering brothers, ignoring the flailing mini-Tori's in her brain that were dancing and doing the wave at the thought that Blake liked her.

"Well I am," Hunter said with some disgust, glaring at his little brother, who glared back. "Have fun dude and stop being a wimp," he flicked Blake in the eye again - Tori was realizing this was mostly a sign of affection between the two - before standing and simply leaving. Tori watched him for a moment before her mind reminded her that the _other_ brother was still kneeling on the grass in front of her, _remember_, the one that _liked_ her? Tori's attention settled on Blake, who was looking at her as though he sort of wished he could be anywhere else but here. But he let out a breath and squared his shoulders before standing and offering a soft sort of smile.

Oh. Well. Any of Tori's minor aggravations sort of shriveled away at the sight of the smile. She managed to refrain from sighing and giggling and even managed to keep from swooning or twirling her hair idiotically. Point for Tori. "This seems like a very intricate plan to meet a regular old lifeguard." Hah! She even managed a half-way decent start to the conversation. Another point! Blake grinned slightly and any pride Tori had at having concocted a full sentence sort of flew away, along with her thought processes. Minus a point.

"Yeah well," he glanced away before glancing back, "you're not really any regular old lifeguard, are you?"

Oh. Tori rather hoped Blake would stop being so sweet and pretty, because she would soon be forced to simply cling to him, due to the lack of other brain functions. She swallowed and summoned her wits, which seemed to have scattered, dancing the dance of the 'We Love Blake!' club. She wondered if they had t-shirts and if- Tori mentally rolled her eyes, she was going insane - time to focus. "Well, I don't know about that," she said with a slight smile which seemed to provoke a sheepish smile from the dark haired man. Whoo, two points for Tor! "But I do know that if you had come up to me, I wouldn't have had to follow your brother around for almost twenty minutes, doing absolutely _nothing._" Another sheepish smile and Tori smirked in return. Two more points - five more and she was totally the winner of this game. She ignored the mini-Tori that pointed out that Blake didn't even know he was _playing_ a game and watched her opponent for his next move.

"Well, I would've much rather spent those twenty minutes with you," Blake said with an honesty that made her mouth rather dry. Minus a point there, "But I'm, uh, not really good with stuff like this, I guess." Tori shrugged rather casually - making sure to keep it simple and still a bit mysterious. She could pull of mysterious right? She could be an _enigma_, couldn't she? Blake's eyes followed her every move and Tori decided firmly that she could and that she had. Two points.

"I think you're doing alright," she said with a soft grin. _Oh_, how _good_ was _she!_ Another point for that! The mini-Tori's in her mind golf-clapped for her.

"Good," Blake said fervently, taking a step closer, his eyes intent on hers and Tori immediately deducted a point from her tally - her brain had melted into a warm gooey puddle that seemed to be purring. The mini-Tori's worked frantically to scoop it into some sort of working condition, but there was a pause before the synapses between her mouth and her brain were up and running again.

"I, uh, I probably have to get back," Tori said, unable to keep the note of regret from her voice, but awarding herself a point for the step she managed to take away. Blake's face fell.

"Oh, uh, of course, yeah." Tori watched him watch her take another step before deciding she'd better head back and save her game for another day. Only three points away - _if he'd asked her out she probably would've won!_ - and then there was - a hand landed on her shoulder, interrupting her thoughts and she turned to find Blake grinning at her, free hand scratching idly at the back of his neck.

"Doing anything later?"

And then the points didn't matter.


	8. 32: color

**AN: Probably my favorite so far. Tell me what you think?**

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**32. color ****(Warning: Justin-bashing. Not that sorry. Mentions of previous and future rangers.)**

Blake groaned. If he had to listen to one more comment, he was going to ask Dustin for his Ram Hammer, if only to slam it into his own head, so he didn't have to deal with upstart blue Rangers anymore.

"Aw, the Navy ranger feeling a bit out of place? Not quite a Blue, huh?" Justin, Blue Turbo Ranger, repeated for the umpteenth time. Blake gritted his teeth and tightened his grip around his water bottle, ignoring the beads of sweat on his forehead and the back of his neck, not quite dry yet after the sparring match he'd had with Bridge, who was pretty damn amusing and reminded him almost of Dustin. The others had said the usual taunts - some of which had even made him chuckle, but Justin would _not let it go_.

The Blues had been called for a grave mission, and Blake had been happy to see Ethan again and pretty stoked to meet previous Blue Rangers. He'd gotten the whole "Navy? _Navy?_ What? Blue not good enough anymore?" spiel and he'd taken it in stride, but he swore, if the Justin kid - and he _was _just a kid because apparently he'd been the youngest Ranger ever, which made him almost Blake's age anyway - didn't shut the hell up about it, the Blue Rangers were just about to lose one of their number.

"If anyone were to feel out of place Justin," came a familiar voice from somewhere behind Blake, "I should think it would be you. One of the oldest rangers yet…probably just about as old as Ethan over there," there was a gesture to the corner where Ethan of the Dino Thunder Rangers was conversing eagerly with Billy - _the original Blue_! part of Blake's mind crowed - about something the rest of them were having a hard time comprehending.

Blake turned and in spite of his bad mood, a grin spread across his face at the sight of his very own Blue Ranger. "Hey Tor, enjoy your chat with Madison?" Tori grinned in reply.

"Definitely, Maddie's a doll. How'd your spar with Bridge go?" Blake's grin brightened. He'd won, but not with ease - but it made him feel a hell of a lot better about not having Ranger powers anymore. Most of the Rangers he'd met - any color - could fight pretty well while not in uniform, but there were a few who relied on the strength Ranger powers gave them. It felt nice to know that he could still give a working Ranger a run for their money.

"He has this really interesting style, and I'd been meaning to go find him to ask him about it - it's like a combination of what I've been seeing in a lot of-" Blake was interrupted by a scoff.

"Interesting style? He fights like he's got no clue what he's doing. I'm surprised it took you as long as it did to beat him, he's pathetic." Blake's hackles rose and he felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle as he stared at Justin. Even if he hadn't spied Bridge's pained look from several feet away, he would've done what he did. A satisfying crack met Blake's ears as his fist met Justin's face. Justin groaned and Blake clenched and unclenched his fist a few times, staring, lip curled in vague disgust as he glanced at the Turbo Ranger.

"You gonna let him just get away with that?" Justin asked incredulously of the room full of staring Blue Rangers. The Turbo Ranger's attention fixed onto Tori and Blake felt like punching him again just for looking at her. "You don't need him - he's not even a real Ranger color, you need a _real_ Blue."

This time it was a smaller fist that buried itself into Justin's face.

"You must be colorblind _kid_," Tori said with a scowl, emphasizing the word 'kid' with relish, "because the only fake Blue here is _you_." There was a chorus of agreements and the room was nodding as Dax stooped to pick up the dazed Blue Turbo Ranger.

"Ashamed to call myself a Blue," he murmured as he dragged Justin from the room.

"Nice punch," Blake commented, turning back to grin at his girlfriend. She gave a mock curtsy and twined her fingers in dark hair as comforting and familiar hands settled at her waist. "But are you sure you don't need a _real _Blue, not just a Navy?" he said, with a mocking tone in his voice, but they both knew the question was real enough.

"Navy," Tori said, punctuating her statement with a brief kiss, "is my favorite shade of blue."


	9. 26: pride

**26. pride ****[thunder strangers pt 2**

Yeah, okay, so she'd saved his butt.

He'd meant to do the hero thing, take out a wimpy monster Zurgane had summoned down, show her that she could truly trust him, further the plan, stay on schedule, all of that stuff. Plus he'd sort of hoped he'd get a date out of it. So he'd arrived unmorphed to find the pretty petite blonde not quite holding her own against the ugly frog monster that'd turned out to be the alien-of-the-week. Usually Blake had a general disdain for most of the aliens summoned down, but this one was one of the worst.

It was _purple_.

Blake rolled his eyes and slammed on the gas, his hands shifting gears almost automatically - the thrum of the machine below him comforting almost as much as the thought of Tori thanking him for saving her. What would she say? Where would they go? Perhaps the café, he was pretty sure he'd seen her walking out of it one - his thoughts caught up to him right about the time he realized that maybe this plan wasn't so foolproof after all.

He slid past the purple frog thing, almost falling right off his bike. Tori battled the alien in the distance and Blake growled under his breath. Now it had become a pride thing. He hadn't been expecting the monster to give him any trouble and now the damsel in distress was fighting her own battle - he would have to finish him, if only on principle.

Unfortunately, he hadn't really considered the fact that the frog might actually finish _him._

The first time he woke, it was only for a second, but he got a glimpse of blonde hair and pretty blue eyes and a worried frown. He was so tired though, so moments later, he fell back into blissful unconsciousness. The next time he woke up, he was lying on green grass and it took him about three milliseconds to realize what must've happened. Tori had taken him back to Ninja Ops - he almost crowed with excitement before realizing that might give away the whole 'evil-ranger-thing'.

He was feeling a hell of a lot better though, even with nerd-boy by his side. Whatever whammy the frog had hit him with had worn off, though he was pretty damn tired. He sent out a silent, invisible bit of energy to mark the location and then decided that a nap would do him good. He bet the next time he woke up he'd see Hunter, and his brother would know what to do about his aching pride and the ugly-ass purple frog still running around.

And maybe he still had a chance with Tori. He hoped they'd manage at least one date before he had to destroy the Wind Rangers.


	10. 10: greeneyed monster

**AN: Cam is one of my favorite characters ever from PR. Had to bring him in at some point, just to show my love. **

**10. green-eyed monster**

Scowling, Blake watched as Tori laughed. He wasn't objecting to her happiness, no, of course not - but it was _who_ Tori was laughing with that he objected to. He mentally groaned, he never though he'd say this while _not_ under a love spell - but **damn** he was jealous of Cam.

He sighed, taking a long swallow of whatever he had been holding in his cup for the last half hour. He couldn't taste much anyway, not through the seething of what he liked to call his green-eyed chest monster - the raging ball of envy that sat on top of his lugs and swelled at inopportune moments and made breathing rather difficult occasionally. He knew there was no reason to be jealous, that Cam had no romantic interest in Tori and Tori had none in Cam, but tell that to the roaring in his chest and the knot in his throat that had formed as he watched them bend close and whisper to one another.

It wasn't even that he thought they would secretly get together when he turned his back on them, he told himself - though that was most definitely a lie - it was just that Cam was…well, Cam was _Cam_. Blake was usually good at admitting when he wasn't the best at something - or at least he liked to believe so - but Cam kicked his ass at two things he usually prided himself on. The green-eyed monster of jealousy roared at this assessment, but Blake knew it was the truth. The first was, he was annoyed to say, _fighting_ - he'd been raised as ninja too, but Cam was a fucking samurai. You couldn't really beat that on a _good_ day. The second was being the _'sensible but amusing' _one. Out of Hunter and him, he had often played the voice of reason, cooling his brother's temper with an ease that only experience and many an angry wrestling match can bring. When they joined the others, Tori took that role, but it was different. She was a girl, the guys reacted to her differently and so Blake remained the one to cool Shane and Hunter's tempers and to prod Dustin into keeping up. Until Cam joined the team at least.

He liked Cam, really he did. He counted Cam amongst his best friends, like another brother - but the problem was, on paper, with lists and spreadsheets as evidence, Cam was _perfect _for Tori. They were almost entirely the same person, both intelligent and witty, both relatively patient.

But Blake didn't really care about lists or what looked right on paper - he was in love with her smile, her laugh, her temper, her eyes - essentially everything about her. He didn't think there was an end to the list he could write of things he loved about Tori.

His musing was interrupted by a surreptitious glance Cam threw his way._That_ caught his attention. Cam murmured something to Tori which made her make one of Blake's favorite Tori expressions, 'befuddled Tori'. Blake smiled in spite of the Green Ranger making a beeline straight for him. Blake's attention centered on Cam who reached him and smirked. "Get up and tell her," Blake found himself being hauled up by the arm not clutching the red cup like it would shield him from the obviously insane Green Ranger. "I have just spent the last hour talking you up as subtly as I can manage and I'm currently out of subtlety and _really_ tired of talking about you, so would you please get over whatever hang ups you have and just tell her?" There was a pause. "Please?" Cam finished dryly.

Well, that shut up the roaring green-eyed monster in his chest rather effectively. Blake stared silently at Cam, half pulled out of his seat, half slumped against a wall he wished would swallow him whole, attempting to piece together Cam's words to make sense.

"That means getting up," Cam insisted, tugging on him with a hint of steely strength, as if to remind Blake that Navy was not the only color to ever kick as little ass and take a few names.

"But, ah…bro, dude, I can't, you-" Blake's nonsensical protests fell on deaf ears as Cam plucked his now rather crumpled cup from his clenched fist before sliding into Blake's recently vacated seat.

"Yes," Cam replied simply, staring at him. "You can." Blake mouthed wordlessly, the irony of the Green Ranger shutting up the green monster in his chest not even bringing a smile to his face. He was going to tell Tori the truth! How he felt - not that he liked her, wanted to date her, but that he'd come back one day and realized that he was head over heels, ankles over ears, chin deep, totally and utterly in love in her. Blake's legs moved without permission from his brain but the moment Tori glanced up at him and smiled, it didn't really matter. He felt the familiar swell of the monster in his chest, but there was no jealousy there - only relief.

Blake smiled back and took a seat beside Tori, relaxing as his chest monster purred, yawned and then curled up like a cat, leaving its owner to his own business. Hopefully he wouldn't screw it up this time.


	11. 33: reaction

**33. reaction ****(general deception pt 1)**

I screamed.

I wasn't sure how loud or for how long, I just knew that the heart wrenching scream that echoed through my ears had left my own mouth. I was fully within my rights to scream, I would defend myself to the others later in the week. Blake was plummeting to his death, who _wouldn't_ scream was the question. And although they all laughed and patted Blake on the back as he grinned at me, same as always, I hid a shudder at the thought that maybe, if it hadn't worked out, they wouldn't be patting his back, but closing his casket.

I dreamt that night of watching him fall from that cliff, a kelzack having cut his rope, leaving Blake to tumble past the cliff face, unbound and freefalling. I remember my heart stopping and something catching in my throat. It wasn't until moments later, when I was gasping for air, that I realized it had been my breath.

If it hadn't been for his reaction time, his quick thinking, Blake wouldn't have morphed so quickly and landed perfectly and safely on the ground, at least fifty feet down from my perch at the top. He shouted "Close one!" up to me, and I could _hear_ the grin in his voice, and I felt an answering smile cross my lips. My initial reaction had been relief, gratitude, joy - just pure happiness at seeing him alive and whole.

When I went home that night, I showed the reaction that Blake would never see and that the guys would never understand. I sat down on my bed, cross legged and staring blankly at the window, seeing him fall again and again and _again_, until it was some sick movie, replaying in my mind.

I cried.


	12. 18 spellbound

**AN:** More Blake centered than anything, but still _definitely _Tori/Blake. And there's brotherly banter between Blake and Cam and Hunter, because the three of them being all close makes me happy. I'd say the three of them were my favorite, but I love this group too much to pick faves. Oh, and a couple f-bombs. Blake's pissed. Hopefully you guys have seen the team up, but I think it's mostly self explanatory.

* * *

**18. spellbound ****- (PR:DT/PR:NS team-up: thunderstorm pt 1)**

Blake stared, horrified and spellbound by the sight before him. He'd been called off the circuit before for emergencies, but somehow, this was much worse. Cam and his brother stood beside him, silent - already resigned to the sight of their best friends wiping the floor with the newest Ranger team. "How did they even..." Blake started, before trailing off, unable to tear his eyes from the sight of Tori systematically destroying the new yellow. Dustin looked like he was simply playing around, so little effort did he extend in whooping the ass of the newest blue. Shane delivered stroke after stroke with his sword, merciless in his attack against the red. _Tor..._ Blake desperately wanted to be able to go down there and shake some sense into his almost-not-quite-whatever-they-were-girlfriend, but he knew it would change nothing. He grew frustrated, how could he just _stand _here and watch this happen? He had to go help and somehow find a way to- Hunter interrupted his musings by sending him a **Look **that told Blake his older brother knew _exactly _what he was thinking and no _way _would he let Blake go be a moron for the sake of being a moron.

"I don't even know," Cam muttered, clapping a hand on Blake's shoulder and squeezing comfortingly. Cam stood between the two Bradleys, the third of their little trio. "Those powers were gone forever, or at least I had thought so - but somehow Lothor twisted it, twisted all of it and..." Cam's gaze settled on the youngest of the three, knowing it had to be difficult to watch Tori acting so... un-Tori like.

"Dude, I'm sorry about Tori," Hunter said, echoing Cam's thoughts as he often did. Hunter looked rather helpless, as though he wanted to help his little brother but had no idea how to go about doing it. Cam felt just as useless - the brothers had taken him in and half-way adopted him as a pseudo-Bradley when his dad had been a guinea pig and now Cam couldn't even return the favor and comfort the younger of the two.

"We'll fix this," Cam said with more confidence than he felt, but when both Bradleys gazed at him, he nodded firmly. "We'll help the Dinos and fix Tori, Shane and Dustin." Hunter nodded and settled a comforting arm across his brother's shoulders. Blake let himself be a little brother for a moment, still watching in horror as the Dino Rangers retreated and his other three best friends followed after. He took a deep breath before glancing at Cam and Hunter.

"Alright, let's do this." Cam nodded and started down from the overpass they'd been watching the chaos occur from.

"Alright, first step is - get our powers back." Hunter froze and Blake stared at Cam like he was crazy. Which he clearly **was**. Had working at the Academy finally sent him off the deep end? Did he _know_ where their powers were? Exactly how did he propose to- "We'll have to go into the Abyss of Evil." Cam continued down the blazing street casually, like what he'd said wasn't the stupidest and most insane idea to ever come to light. Blake liked Cam, really he did - he'd become a part of Hunter's and his tight knit family recently and Blake would do anything for him.

Except travel down into that damned Abyss of Evil. It was _called_ the freakin' **Abyss** of **Evil**. There were reasons why things were named _abyss_ and reasons why they were described as _evil_. And it wasn't because they housed bunny rabbits and marshmallows and sunshine.

"Cam," Hunter began conversationally, "We officially disown you." Cam snorted and glanced over his shoulder at the Thunders.

"Your overwhelming confidence in me is almost too much to bear," Cam deadpanned, forcing a smirk out of Blake - but only for a moment. He was totally not going along with this crazy ass plan, and that was final.

-

Okay, yeah, so he went along with the crazy ass plan. Sue him. But Hunter and Cam had played the Tori card and that was clearly against the rules of family. He'd told Hunter that family didn't do shit like that to each other - because really, _so_ not fucking fair - and Hunter had laughed in his face as older brothers usually did when their little brothers complained.

"Dude, if you can't blackmail family, who else is there to blackmail?" Cam nodded solemnly in agreement and Blake decided then and there that he was no longer allowing the two eldest ex-Rangers to hang out together any longer. They were clearly bad influences on each other and it only made life harder for Blake in the long run, especially when they ganged up on him.

And _now_ they were following _Hunter_'s stupid ass plan, which clearly made things so much more difficult and complex than was needed, but _Cam_ had agreed and again it had been two against one. Seriously, he was forbidding the two of them from ever seeing each other.

And so they'd arrived just as Tori, Shane and Dustin were about to morph and re-kick the asses of the new Rangers and played the part of the recently-turned-evil Rangers. He felt awful for destroying the hopeful look on that girl Kira's face, but it had to be done. He had to get Tori back, had to save his team, had to fix his friends. Oh, and save the world while he was at it.

"We stick with our own kind," Blake managed to get out, forcing himself not to turn and stare at Tori. He was _two feet away_, if he just turned right now… Blake clenched his hands into fists and forced himself to stare down the Dino Rangers. The important thing right now was convincing the Winds that they were evil too and to replace their new evil power disks with the old not-so-evil ones Cam had grabbed from the Abyss.

They turned to face the Winds and Blake just stared. _C'mon, take them, take the disk, take it,_ his mind was chanting repeatedly. His gaze never left Tori's face and he knew just by looking at her that this wasn't his Tori. He'd already known that, already realized that she wasn't the same but he hadn't expected it to be so obvious. Her eyes were cold. Hard and cold and distant. She looked suspicious at the appearance of new disks, but her nose didn't wrinkle like when she was confused and she wasn't wearing the cute befuddled face that Blake secretly adored. She wasn't his Tori and nothing hurt more than staring at her, only to receive an empty, emotionless gaze back.

_Take it, take the disk, please Tor, please_, his mind begged of his spellbound almost-not-quite-oh-who-the-fuck-cared-girlfriend. The sound of the new disk clicking in was one of the most beautiful he'd ever heard. The moment he felt Cam beside him move - officially and silently declaring that it was safe to go after them - Blake was beside Tori, helping her up, afraid to let go of her hand.

Dustin was rambling and Blake managed to get in a few words edgewise about the return of Lothor, but mostly his eyes were for Tori. Her nose was wrinkled in utter confusion and she had that damn befuddled look on and Blake couldn't tear his eyes away. Not even during the ride home did he manage to let Tori out of his sight. When they finally got back to Dr. O's Secret Lair - which was almost as cool as Ninja Ops, but not quite, which he told to Cam who looked rather smugly pleased - Blake was inordinately pleased when Tori took the seat beside him.

Things were of course explained and fights had to be gone and fought, but there was a few minutes of milling around, where Cam and Haley were talking intense techno-geek babble and Hunter stood around looking vaguely impressive and fairly broody - though that kid Trent gave him a run for his money in the 'solemn, puppy dog, I-was-once-evil-but-don't-pity-me look' category. God knows what Shane and Dustin were teaching Conner and Ethan, but Blake took the free moments to talk with Tori.

"Tor, I…" Blake just stared in wonder at the girl before him. What could he tell her that would encompass everything he'd been panicking over, everything he'd thought about her in the last couple hours? Tori blinked up at him and he let out a long, strained breath. "Jeez Tor, don't ever scare me like that again," he managed to get out, a tired smile managing its way across his lips. Tori smiled slightly in return and let her head rest against his chest as she too let out a long breath.

"I'll try to keep my becoming-evil-quota to a minimum for your sake," she muttered into his shirt and he smiled in spite of himself.

"You doing alright?" he asked, wrapping his arms around the ninja and settling his chin atop her head. Tori hummed her acquiescence to this statement and Blake didn't push it any further.

"We've got to go fight soon," Tori said, moments later, though she didn't make any move to shift out of the embrace. Blake didn't shift an inch. This felt too nice to give up just yet and although in the back of his mind he knew he was still on tour and had a race today and his schedule would be hectic for the next few months, it only highlighted what he knew. This almost-whatever-the-hell-it-was-relationship that he had with Tori wasn't enough.

He saw her and he was intoxicated. He heard her voice and he was hooked. She smiled and he was addicted. He was spellbound by her very existence - and trust him, he didn't miss the irony in that statement - but that wasn't keeping him from doing what he knew he had to do.

"Tor?" he asked, lifting his head to catch her gaze with his own. "Be my girlfriend? For real?" Tori blinked up at him and he watched as a slow, astonished smile spread across her lips. His only reply at that moment was a kiss, but he was in no rush. He wasn't going anywhere.

Afterall, he was spellbound.


	13. 40: home

_AN: _Super short, but I kind of like it. Just showing you I'm not dead. There's two more of these in the works right now, so hopefully not so long between updates next time. Review if you can, promise I'll reply. :D

-

**40. home**

When it rained, Tori liked to cry.

It made her feel connected - she didn't know to what exactly, but being connected to _something_, _anything_ was better than the floating, weightless feeling she had sometimes. She hadn't ever really felt like she belonged before the Rangers, still hadn't truly found a home yet. She was the piece of the puzzle that had gotten soaked a long time ago, and though now she was dry and whole and undamaged, she'd warped somehow. She no longer fit with the rest of the puzzle, the grand scheme of things. She had to fit _somewhere,_ there had to be a puzzle missing a piece just her size. She just hadn't found it yet - though she was beginning to think she never would.

But when the skies cried with her, it was almost as good as belonging. She felt she was on equal footing with the world when the clouds opened up. She hadn't ever told anyone until Blake showed up and became a part of her life.

When she told him, she was nervous - anxious. It seemed too crazy to say aloud. How could rain make you feel anything? What would he think of her for crying? She had no idea what he would say or think or feel.

And then he turned to her and told her that he shouted when it thundered and she knew that she had finally come home.


	14. 28: duty

AN: Hey, told you it wouldn't be too long between updates. Sorry about the heaviness - I swear the next one will be funny! Review if you can, I love chatting with you guys. Oh, and _Once A Ranger_ was the Team Up/Mash Up with PROO - I flipped when I saw who was in it.

-

**28. duty [once a ranger pt 1&2]**

"Tor…" he trailed off, the frown on his face telling enough. Tori turned from her duffel bag to face her boyfriend.

"I know," she said, twining her fingers with his and giving him a sad smile. "But I have to."

Anyone else would've scoffed at the idea that Tori Hanson had to do _anything_ she didn't want to, but Blake knew better.

This was a Ranger thing. Few understood what that truly meant. Sure, there was the power rush, the camaraderie of a team, the sense of belonging - but being a Ranger meant being a part of something larger than just you. You were a part of generations of people, willing to put their lives on the line for a world who'd never get to see their faces and tell them _thank you_. 

_Thank you for saving my child, thank you for rescuing me, thank you for being here, thank you for living, thank you thank you thank you._

Being a Ranger meant loyalty. It meant duty. Being a Ranger meant you had a whole other branch of your family tree, most of whom you only knew by name and color - but you knew you'd lay your life down for any one of them at a moment's notice.

Once a Ranger, always a Ranger.

Tori stared down at their interlaced fingers and bit her lip. "I wish you were coming with me," she whispered, her shoulders tense. Blake's frown softened into a sad smile.

"Me too," he murmured, and it was the truth. If he was entirely honest with himself, he was a bit jealous of his girlfriend. The Power had been returned to its place in the Abyss of Evil after that last run in with the Dino Rangers, but Tori had gotten a second (third?) chance at it all.

Hunter had been the strongest, Shane the fastest. Cam was the smartest, Dustin the most balanced. But Tori was all heart. She was strength and love and everything the Power could have asked for in a Ranger. Tori was meant to be Ranger, more than any of them and had been the heart of their whole team.

"Don't want to leave you," she said into his shoulder and he held her close. He pressed his lips to the top of her head, breathing in her shampoo and memorizing the feel of her hair against his cheek.

"Call me if you need me, I'll be there no matter what," he said seriously, pulling away for a moment to look her in the eyes. "I may not be a Ranger any more, but I can still kick some ass." He managed a playful smile at this and Tori's lips quirked up into a tiny grin.

"You're half right," she said, her grin growing slightly. He raised an eyebrow in question and her eyes sparkled like they hadn't for the past few days, even as her voice grew more serious. "You'll always be a Ranger Blake, you more than anyone." Blake remained silent, unsure of how to respond. He'd been the expendable one, hadn't he? A good Ranger, sure, but there'd been a lot of good Rangers. His team had been great. "You're the soul of the whole team Blake," Tori said, catching his gaze with hers. "And you'll never stop being a Ranger."

"I love you," he said plainly, having no other words to tell her how much she meant to him, how much her words meant to him. "Be safe, be strong."

"Love you too," she murmured against his lips, every inch of her pressed tightly against him, as if to meld them together into one person simply by determination alone. When they broke apart, she turned away from him. Blake almost did the same - if he looked at her for too long, god knows what he'd do to make her stay.

But she'd be alright. His Tori was powerful and smart and sexy as hell. She would be everything that team would need. She was already everything _he_ did. And now he had a duty to her.

"Go kick some ass babe, you'll be perfect," he told her, and he knew she heard him by the way her shoulders relaxed and her head lifted. So strong, his Tori. Once a Ranger, always a Ranger.


	15. 5: patience

_AN: _Sorry about the wait folks. The death of a close friend has kept me pretty distraught most of this week. But she was a writer too, so here I am - keep on, keepin' on.

Fortunately 3/4ths of this was written already, or god knows when there would've been another update. _Fact_: We are exactly 37.5% done with this fic. Oh, and as some of you might know, I am of the belief that Blake and Hunter treat Cam as a third Bradley brother. Someday I will write the fic that makes this so. Today is _so _not that day. Enjoy.

**5. patience**

"Dude, dude, dude, dude," with every dude, Dustin prodded Shane in the shoulder, bouncing eagerly on the balls of his feet. Shane seemed oblivious, still half asleep in his pajamas, sprawled across three fourths of the love seat he was supposed to be sharing with Dustin. Dustin didn't seem to mind either way; even as he took a seat, he was positively vibrating with excitement.

"I knew this was an awful, awful idea," Blake muttered audibly, hauling himself out of his comfy chair with a groan. Tori smiled over at him from the kitchen, the wide doorway between the living room and kitchen providing the perfect frame for her Christmas scene. Besides the loveseat that Dustin and Shane were currently sharing, the sofa housed its own inhabitants. Cam sat cross-legged on the center cushion, peering through his glasses at the computer screen in front of him. Tori had already tried to take it away from him, but he was simply checking for e-mails from his father, who decided that instead of accompanying the team, he would take this rare time away from the teens to relax and meditate. Alone. Tori really couldn't blame him.

Hunter was flipping through channels aimlessly, his eyes still half lidded in sleep, unused to being awake so early. Blake glanced back at his brother and snorted. He only just resisted the urge to throw something at him while he was so vulnerable, but as it was Christmas he was feeling a little generous. Blake joined Tori in the kitchen, wrapping his arms around her waist, settling his chin on her shoulder. They just watched their makeshift family for a moment.

Hunter peered across at the intent Cam, who was paying no attention to him. Feeling slightly mischievous, he yawned widely and obviously, stretching all his limbs before suddenly settling his feet atop Cam's laptop, closing it with a snap. Cam froze, blinking. "You," he said conversationally to the smug Crimson Ranger, "are so incredibly dead." With that, he lunged. Hunter, not expecting such immediate retribution from the other Ranger, squawked as he tumbled off the couch in his hurry to escape.

Shane had finally found something interesting enough to draw his attention from his magazine. He perked up slightly as he shifted to watch. Dustin immediately turned to him and laid odds on the fight. "Ten bucks on Cam," he said, offering his hand to his best friend, who considered it for a moment.

"Deal, ten on Hunter." The handshake that sealed the deal was interrupted by the flailing arms and legs of Blake's brother and friend. "Whoa!" Shane toppled over the back of the couch to avoid a flying fist and Dustin yanked one of the seat cushions off the sofa to act as a shield.

Blake groaned, knowing that inevitably this display would devolve into something that would involve him wrestling to keep his brother from breaking something and to keep Cam from breaking his brother. "Tori," he said plaintively, trying to ignore the whining note that tinged his voice, "Can't you do something about them?"

"They're your family," Tori teased, smirking even as she brushed a kiss to his temple. He tightened his hold around her waist, keeping her pressed against him. Tori relaxed against him completely, tucking her head against his chest.

"Only by law, and only one," Blake muttered mutinously. "The others can be disposed of rather easily." Tori snorted and thumped a fist against his chest.

"Don't let sensei hear you say that," she warned, watching the chaos with a fond smile. Blake snorted and reluctantly untangled his arms from around his fiancée.

"He'd probably agree," Blake pointed out reasonably, flinching as the sound of furniture scraping against the floor was heard, Dustin and Shane cheering Cam and Hunter on.

"Admit it," Tori said, even as the sound of fabric tearing filled the living room, pillow stuffing flying everywhere, "It wouldn't be Christmas without them." Tori's lips quirked in an affectionate smile.

Blake pressed his lips to hers briefly before forcing himself to pull away. He squared his shoulders and glanced up to the ceiling. "Mom, Dad," he said aloud, "give me patience." Tori's soft laughter brought a smile to his face, even as he turned to march directly into the madness.

Yeah, okay. So they were his family. And maybe he wouldn't resort to violence just yet. He could be patient, he could be calm. It was Christmas day. He could be amused and relaxed. Nothing at all could go wrong.

Seconds later, a crash was heard, three yelps and a shout following closely behind.

Blake closed his eyes against the rush of images of possible expensive and irreplaceable things they could have destroyed.

Maybe there'd be a little violence today.

"Uh Blake?" came the hesitant call from the living room. "Blake, bro, I am _so _sorry."

Blake gritted his teeth. Maybe a lot of violence.

* * *


End file.
